Parliament preps for possibility & implications of national budget not being passed
Besides the main opposition parties already indicating that they don't support the budget in its entirety, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has indicated it won't support certain budget votes of departments headed by ministers they don't approve of.
Speaker Thoko Didiza said on Thursday it was not for Parliament to resolve political disputes between parties, and that its structures could only grapple with technical and money-related matters linked to the Appropriation Bill.
At a programme committee meeting on Thursday, National Assembly Secretary Masibulele Xaso advised the chief whips of political parties on the process that needed to be followed to get the Appropriation Bill approved.
The bill, which is the last hurdle in the budget process, apportions money to all state departments.
African National Congress (ANC) chief whip, Mdumiseni Ntuli, proposed that all the budget votes be put to the House for a full picture of the sticking points.
"Those votes that were publicly condemned, and positions were taken against them, let's do them last."
Didiza said that she would convene a special meeting if necessary ahead of Wednesday's vote to clarify any further uncertainties after some parties asked for further legal clarity on public spending constraints should the bill not be passed.
"Where the issues are of a political nature, I think different political parties will have to engage. What we deal with is more the process."
According to National Assembly rules, if a bill fails to pass on the first attempt, it can not be put to the House a second time in the same year, unless the rule is waived by agreement of the House.
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